Electrical melting and soldering apparatus.



W. M. BOWLES & G. O. ALLEN. ELECTRICAL MELTING AND SOLDERING APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1911.

1,049,043, Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

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ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANDURAFH CO.,WASHINGTON. 01C.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIE M. BOWLES AND GHARLEY O. ALLEN, 0F SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

Application filed May 6, 1911. Serial No. 625,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIE M. BOWLES and CHARLEY O. ALLEN, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Shawnee, in the county ofPottawatamie and State of Oklahoma, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Electrical Melting and Soldering Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in electrical melting andsoldering apparatus, and it consists in the combinations, constructionsand arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide an electrical heating devicefor melting or soldering metals with great facility and with a minimumexpenditure of heat.

A further object of our invention is to provide a portable device whichcan be readily connected to an electric circuit.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming partof this application in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of theclevice, Fig. 2 is a transverse section there through, Fig. 3 is asection at right angles to Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of acarbon plate to be used in lieu of the crucible.

In carrying out our invention we provide a base 1 made of any suitablenonconducting material. In the drawing the base is made square, but itmay be made in any other suitable shape. The base is provided with avertical slot 2 in which is disposed a slidable support 3 arranged to beengaged by a ratchet wheel 4 on a shaft 5, which terminates in a handwheel 6. Upon the top of the base 1 is a series of supports 7. In thepresent instance these supports are shown as hollow glass rods, bearingat their tops a carbon plate 8 having an opening 9 in its center.Surmounting the carbon plate is a metal plate 10 having an opening 11adapted to receive a crucible12. The slidable member 3 carries a carbonstick 13 which is arranged to be held in a socket 14 carried by themember 3. A flexible conductor 15 is secured to the socket 14 by meansof the binding post 15 The plates 10 and 8 may be secured to the top ofthe support 7 by means of bolts 16 which pass through the hollow rodsand are secured at their ends in the base 1.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

In the illustrations a crucible 12 is shown. In using the crucible thepiece of metal to be melted may be placed therein and the carbon stick13 may be brought up into contact with the bottom of the crucible byturning the thumb wheel 6. The crucible therefore forms part of theelectrical circuit. The other part of the electrical circuit is formedby means of a flexible Wire or conductor 17 (see Fig. 1) which isattached to a carbon pencil 18 held in the metallic socket 19, thelatter being inserted in an insulating handle 20. When the metal isplaced within the crucible the current is turned on in' the wires 15 and17 by means of an appropriate'switch, and by touching the metal thecircuit is established through wire 15, binding post 15 socket 14,carbon stick 13, crucible 12, through the metal to be melted orsoldered, carbon stick 18 and wire 17. The heat is generated where it isneeded mosti. 6., between the carbon stick 18 and the metal to bemelted, and upon that part of the crucible ;or receptacle upon which themetal rests. The plate 10 serves to keep the crucible in its centralposition over the movable carbon stick 13.

Instead of using the crucible I may use a comparatively thin carbonplate 21. This may be placed upon the plate "10 and the carbon stick maybe brought up until just in contact with it. By manipulating the handwheel 6, an arc may be produced which is sufficiently intense to heatthe carbon plate, and therefore to melt the solder when an article isplaced on it.

We claim 1. In an electric melting and soldering device, a base,insulating uprights carried thereby, a plate having a central openingmounted at the top of said uprights, a carbon stick mounted on said baseand adapted to move vertically along its axis toward and away from theopening in said plate, a conducting supporting member for the article tobe melted or soldered disposed on said plate above said central openingand adapted to be engaged by said carbofistick, a pair of conductors opeoi said conductors being in electrical connection with said carbonstick, the other of said conductors being flexible, and a carbon pencilsecured to the end of said flexible conductor and adapted to be broughtinto contact with the metal on the conducting support.

2. In an electric melting and soldering device, a base, insulatinguprights carried thereby, a plate having a central opening mounted atthe top of said uprights, a support mounted for vertical movementcentrally of said base, a thumb screw for moving said support, a carbonstick carried by said central support and adapted to be moved by thelatter toward and away from the opening in said plate, a conductingsupport for the article to be melted or soldered disposed on said plateover said central opening and adapted to be engaged by said carbonstick, a pair of conductors, one of said conductors being in electricalconnect-ion with the support for the carbon stick, the other conductorbeing flexible, and a carbon pencil attached to the flexible conductorand adapted to be brought into contact with the metal in said conductingsupport.

WILLIE M. BOWLES. CHARLEY O. ALLEN. \Vitnesses:

IDA CHANDLER, RUFUS H. LONDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of I'atents, Washington, D. C.

